UFC 223: Two titles, divisional positioning on the line in Brooklyn

Veterans fighting for positional standings, a future UFC superfight on the line a few chances for vengeance highlight what's at stake at Saturday's UFC 223.

For every card where the stakes of every main card fight are difficult to discern, you occasionally get an event like UFC 223 this weekend in Brooklyn, where what is on the line in each of the five main card matchups is easy to see.

From position in two of the deepest divisions in the promotion to a pair of championship belts, Saturday’s return to pay-per-view features five outstanding matchups that will have a significant impact on that the second half of the year looks like for not only the athletes involved, but the divisions they compete in as well.

Al Iaquinta vs. Paul Felder

Like most quality fights, there are levels to this one.

Level 1: Winning Streaks

Iaquinta enters on a five-fight run of success that stretches back more than three years, while Felder has won three-in-a-row over the last 13 months, all by way of stoppage. Barring a draw, one of these two lightweights is going to leave Brooklyn looking to get back into the win column next time out.

Level 2: Divisional standing

Lightweight is the deepest division in the sport and pretty well every quality matchup in the 155-pound ranks has an impact on the top 15, including this one. Iaquinta currently sits at No. 11 and Felder is unranked, but a strong performance from either one could propel them into the Top 10 once the rankings get updated next week.

Level 3: Outsider vs. Insider

That description is probably a little unfair to Felder, who has done nothing wrong in taking advantage of the opportunities that have been afforded him as a broadcaster — and he’s been a tremendous new addition to that collective — but Iaquinta is still a guy that always seems at odds with the promotion, which adds another level of intrigue to this one.

Wrap it up and tie it all together and you’ve got yourself an intriguing fight that should also be a wildly entertaining way to kick off the pay-per-view on Saturday night.

Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis

The “divisional standing” ramifications at play in the Iaquinta-Felder fight factor in here as well, as Chiesa is currently stationed at No. 9 in the rankings and the former champion Pettis sits at No. 12, but there is a little more to it than that.

While this isn’t a “Loser Leaves Town” match by any stretch, it does profile as the last chance for both of these veteran lightweights to make their case for remaining in the top 10 and getting continued opportunities against the division’s elite.

Chiesa was subbed out by Kevin Lee last time out and while Pettis looked good before an injury brought his bout with Dustin Poirier to a halt. They’re both familiar names who have been hanging around the fringes of contention for the last several years, but with more and more emerging talent showing out and trying to take their spots, both need a strong showing to prove they still deserve their place in the pecking order going forward.

While the winner will keep facing more established names and top-10 talents, the loser could find himself as the veteran half of a main card pairing with a promising up-and-comer next time out. My sense is that neither of these two is ready to switch to that role at this point in their careers.

Renato Moicano vs. Calvin Kattar

First and foremost, these two are battling for recognition in the featherweight division, which has been the most entertaining and exciting weight class in the UFC over the first three months of the year.

That’s a little weird to say given that Kattar scored an impressive win at UFC 220, beat Andre Fili on short notice in his promotional debut and sits at No. 13 in the rankings, while Moicano defeated surging veteran contender Jeremy Stephens just under a year ago before losing to Brian Ortega.

Basically, they should already be known, but despite the slow uptake by some fans, this fight should elevate their level of recognition from here on out.

Secondly, the Brazilian and “The Boston Finisher” are fighting for the chance to stop facing tough, but lesser known talents in the featherweight division in the second half of the year and get an opportunity to face some more familiar names going forward.

It’s particularly surprising that Moicano isn’t in that top-10 mix yet given that he’s beaten Stephens (by split decision in a close fight) and was beating Ortega until “T-City” did what “T-City” does and tapped him in the third round, but a third straight UFC win (and 11th straight victory overall) should carry Kattar into bigger fights as well.

Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

Obviously, the UFC women’s strawweight title is at stake in this one, as Namajunas seeks to defend the belt she won at UFC 217 for the first time, while Jedrzejczyk aims to reclaim the title she held for 32 months.

The direction of the division in the second half of the year likely hangs in the balance as well given that the UFC pushed for the former champion to get an immediate rematch and you could make a case for a trilogy fight between these two should Jedrzejczyk regain the belt this weekend.

Conversely, if Namajunas turns her back for a second time and retains the title, the UFC will be forced to make its first strawweight title fight sans “Joanna Champion” since the inaugural championship bout later this year.

Lastly, Jedrzejczyk’s reputation is on the line here as well to a certain extent as she’s basically spent the last four months chalking up her loss to Namajunas at UFC 217 to a terrible weight cut and putting too much trust in some of the people in her camp. They have since been excommunicated and Jedrzejczyk promises to deliver a performance that proves everything she’s been saying as true, but if she doesn’t, expect a ton of backlash and questions about where she goes from here.

(Writer's note: the answer is flyweight; she should go up to flyweight)

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs, Max Holloway

Even though this one only came together on Sunday, there are still real stakes to discuss here.

First and foremost, they're fighting for the lightweight title.

The UFC is pulling the belts from both Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson and the winner of this one will be the undisputed lightweight champion. It sounds crazy, I know, given that Holloway has never competed in the 155-pound weight class before, but neither had McGregor before he jumped to the front of the line to challenge for the title in 2016, so there is precedent for this kind of move, even if it still feels strange a second time around.

Secondly, there is history on the line on both sides, as Nurmagomedov looks to go 10-0 in the UFC and maintain his unbeaten record, while Holloway is aiming to be the fourth two-weight champion and second athlete to hold two belts simultaneously.

But perhaps the biggest thing that hangs in the balance with this fight is the potential for a bout with McGregor later this year.

I don't like that so much hinges on what the Irish absentee champion wants to do next, but there are intriguing elements to a fight between McGregor and either of these guys in the second half of 2018 and regardless of who wins, that potential pairing will instantly become the most anticipated fight of the year in the UFC. Either we finally get to see Khabib and McGregor share the Octagon or he and Holloway square up for a second time, with the Hawaiian standout looking to avenge the last loss on his resume.

As much as I'm bummed that Ferguson and Nurmagomedov fell apart for a fourth time — and should never be booked again because just accept that its a cursed pairing — this is an outstanding consolation prize that should be an outstanding close to UFC 223 on Saturday evening.